Workhorses that pull their weight - Part 4
“The short wheelbase and tight turning radius make the tractors extremely easy to manoeuvre, while the weight distribution provides optimum traction on difficult terrain. A central pivot allows the tractor to oscillate more than 15deg in relation to the rear end so that the tractor can follow the irregularities of the ground with maximum stability,” points out the company.
Large wheels can be supplied to minimise ground compaction offering protection to the soil without losing grip even on slopes or uneven ground, and Soft Track tyres are also available for fine turf.For more specialist groundcare applications, the Cobram can also be supplied with reverse drive.
Case studies
Yellow on the greens
Following a thorough evaluation of competitive machinery, Alnmouth Golf Club at Foxton Hall in Northumberland has purhcased a JCB335 HST compact. Considered to be the JCB’s best point, its auto headland management automatically cuts off the driveline to any potentially dangerous rear-mounted attachment when it is raised for turning or in transit.
The operator does not need to manually disengage the PTO and the driveline to the attachment automatically re-starts when it is lowered.
Head Greenkeeper Jim Storey said: “We needed a new hydrostatic tractor and after looking at the models on the market we chose the new JCB for its powerful performance and the auto headland management feature”.
“We are using the JCB335 HST for a wide range of applications all over the course. These include drainage work with a trencher, pulling trailers and grass cutting on our large practice area. However, it really comes into its own when powering the Verti-Drain on the greens. With our old tractor we had to continually stop at the end of each run to manually switch off the pto, with the auto headland feature, it is so much easier and more productive.”
Cutting down the workload
As Head Groundsman with Wymondham Town Council, Keith Harvey has a busy workload. He and his team are responsible for the amenity areas throughout the whole Norfolk town, including parks, green spaces, play areas and cemeteries, as well as a 32 acre amenity site.
But a recently acquired New Holland TC27DA compact tractor is helping to cut the tasks down to size.
Keith, who has been Head Groundsman for 12 years, has a diverse daily schedule, ranging from checking that play areas meet Health & Safety requirements, to managing contractors and overseeing machinery servicing.
Last April, the Council bought the 27hp New Holland TC27DA. “We looked around to see what was available,” says Keith, “and New Holland really stood out in terms of quality. The casting and the metalwork were better than anything else we saw.
“We are using the TC27DA for a wide range of tasks, including hedge cutting, spiking and rolling football pitches, flail mowing and towing a trailer. The design of the machine is superb. The operator has a commanding sitting position giving an unobscured view at all times. General operation and handling characteristics are brilliant, and the tractor feels very stable. It’s also very quiet.”
Keith and his team are also impressed by the machine’s updated speed lock, a cruise control system which is operated at the flick of a switch. “We also like the new draw bar design, which has a sliding configuration instead of a threaded bar and nut. You simply remove a pin and slide the bar across, which makes the whole process much easier.”
Flexible friends
Two new John Deere 20 Series compact tractors, both fitted with ComfortGard quiet cabs and eHydro transmissions, have joined the fleet run by contractor Bourne Amenity Ltd.
The company’s tractors are used with implements which range from landscaping and drainage machinery to turf maintenance equipment and are from 40 to 50hp. These now include the new John Deere 42hp 3720 model equipped with a front loader, and the 52hp 4520, which will be used mainly for land drainage work, top dressing with 5- and 6- tonne spreaders filled by the loader model, and Verti-Draining.
The year-round versatility of compact tractors means they will also be used on a three-year construction contract for three new PFI schools in Crawley, covering all of their sports fields, where Bourne Amenity will continue to carry out regular grass cutting, pitch marking and other general maintenance tasks.
“We had the 4520 on demonstration for a week before it was delivered and we put a full range of kit on the back to make sure we’d got the horsepower right. The operators particularly like the quiet cab, which is bigger than you find on most compacts on the market,” contracts manager Richard Wood explains,
Both tractors feature an eHydro transmission with LoadMatch, MotionMatch and cruise control functions. This transmission system is designed to be easier to operate and more accurate than the mechanical alternative, especially for deep tining operations for example.
“This transmission means the operator can find the hole pattern more quickly and accurately, and match the exact tractor speed after headland turns, which means he can achieve the same precise and consistent pattern on each run,” says Richard Wood from dealer Palmers Turfcare. “In addition, if you’re working on the flat and then come to a slope, the tractor senses this and adjusts the engine power automatically to match the forward speed. Cruise control is also very useful as it allows the operator to use the resume setting to make the turn round quicker.”
Massey Ferguson goes to University
A Massey Ferguson 1540 compact tractor has joined the machinery fleet looking after the 32-ha main campus at the University of Surrey, Guildford.
Selected by Nigel Hodge, the University’s Horticultural and Landscape Manager, the 38hp tractor satisfied all requirements with regards to power output, dimensions, weight and, in particular, noise levels, a very important factor when working close to accommodation blocks.
“Around three-quarters of the tractor’s time will be spent shifting mulches, prunings, soil, sand, tools and other materials by trailer around the campus,” said Nigel. “Other seasonal tasks include leaf blowing, flail mowing, gritting and aeration. We needed a real allrounder and the MF 1540 ticked all the boxes. Most important, also, is the fact that our groundstaff like driving it.”
Two further key points had to be met before the order was finally placed. First, Nigel wanted tyres on the tractor that could handle a high level of road work without excessive wear and yet still be used on turf without causing compaction and unsightly marking. “Massey Ferguson’s dealer Sendmarsh located a semi-industrial tyre with a non-aggressive tread and high ply rating that is proving just the job,” he said. “Second, it was vital also that the tractor had an automatic pick-up hitch to make trailer attachment safer and easier than using a clevis drawbar and screw jack. Not all compacts can be supplied with an auto hitch but MF came up trumps and we now have exactly the right tractor for our needs.”